Madurai is an ancient city that takes you back in time; where you will stand wondering about the evolution of culture, traditions and civilization. Walk further and you will be amazed by how such a historic city has a bustling urban face too.
Thoonga Nagaram
‘Thoonga Nagaram’ is what Madurai is popularly called in Tamil Nadu. It means ‘the city that never sleeps’. That’s true in many ways. History stays awake in this destination. And the sprawling urban centre that Madurai is, it offers you all the conveniences you will love for a comfortable stay. The earliest references to Madurai can be traced back to the 3rd century BC.
Kadambavanam
It is narrated in legend that Madurai was originally a forest known as Kadambavanam. One day, a farmer named Dhananjaya who was passing through the forest, saw Indra (The king of the gods), worshipping a swayambhu (self created Lingam ) under kadamba tree. Dhananjaya, the farmer immediately reported this to King Kulasekara Pandya. Kulasekara Pandya cleared the forest and built a temple around the Lingam. A city was soon planned with the temple as its centre. On the day the city was to be named, Lord Shiva is said to have appeared and drops of nectar from his hair fell on the town. So, the place was named Madurai – mathuram meaning “sweetness” in Tamil.
Referred to as the ‘Athens of the East’ due to the lofty towers of Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple just like the Greek Pantheon, the city finds reference in many literary works of Arabs, Romans and Greek travellers like Megasthenes. Madurai also finds a place in ‘Silapathigaram’, a Sangam literature work. Befittingly, Madurai was a place of scholarly importance. Ports, prodigies, scholars and critics were a part of kingly courts that ruled Madurai over the centuries. Sangam, the confluence of Tamil scholars and critics, used to regularly convene in the city up to three times a day.
Though famous primarily as a pilgrimage tourism destination, Madurai also attracts visitors due to its strategic location that makes it an ideal weekend getaway.
